Clinton announces N. Korea sanctions

Seoul, Wednesday

The United States today announced new sanctions on North Korea following the sinking of a South Korean warship and said the attack could be the start of more provocations by the communist state.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the sanctions were designed to prevent Pyongyang from funding weapons programmes and spreading weapons of mass destruction.

She told a press conference the measures were not directed at the North Korean people, “who have suffered too long due to the misguided and malign priorities of their government”.

“They are directed at the destabilising, illicit and provocative policies pursued by that government.”

Mrs Clinton and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates are visiting South Korea to show support after the sinking of the ship with the loss of 46 lives.

The US and South Korea, citing findings of a multinational investigation, accuse the North of torpedoing the Cheonan near the disputed Yellow Sea border in March — a charge it denies.

“There has been some indication over a last number of months, as a succession process gets under way in North Korea, that there might be provocations particularly since the sinking of the Cheonan,” Gates said.

“So I think it is something that we have to look at very closely, we have to keep in mind and be very vigilant.”

Ailing leader Kim Jong-Il, 68, is widely reported to be preparing to name his youngest son as eventual successor.

The sinking has sharply raised tensions on the peninsula. Gates and his South Korean counterpart Kim Tae-Young Tuesday announced a major joint naval exercise starting this Sunday as a deterrent to the North.

The South’s defence ministry said it would be the first in a series of about 10 joint naval drills in coming months. Gates defended the exercises as important to show resolve “not to be intimidated”.

Mrs Clinton and Mr Gates earlier today held talks with the South’s Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan and Defence Minister Kim, the first such “two plus two” meeting in Seoul.

In a joint statement they warned the North of “serious consequences” for future aggression and urged the secretive state to admit it torpedoed the Cheonan.

Mrs Clinton said the new US sanctions aimed “to increase our ability to prevent North Korea’s proliferation, to halt their illicit activities that help fund their weapons programmes and to discourage further provocative actions”.

They were designed to curb the North’s sale and procurement of weapons and related material, the procurement of luxury goods and other illicit activities. (AFP)